How-To "Job Aid" for the RLSF Discussion Board (I "borrowed" this from another discussion board I recently found that uses the same php we do)

Very important!!! Since the program will take any text containing codes literally, this document does not use the "real" code-making brackets. All references to the brackets [ and ] are shown here using the upper-case brackets (the ones with the point in the middle-- { and }-- on the same keys). However, you must use the lower-case brackets in actual practice. I hope this makes sense!

Posting

This is a basic explanation of the main functions.

1. How to make bold text, italics, etc.

The B (bold), i (italics) and u (underlining) buttons all work the same way.

1. Click a button.
2. The beginning code is entered; type your text after the code {b}, {i} or {u}.
3. Click again to end the feature; the click will add the proper code of {/b}, {/i} or {/u}:

{b}This would be bolded.{/b}

Note that it is often easier if you've already typed your text to simply type in {b} and {/b} yourself in the right places. Likewise, if you have a number of bolded headers in a post (like this does), it may be easier to type {b} and {/b} once and copy and paste them into the right spots. Likewise, you can also type your text, highlight it, and then click the button.

You must have both a beginning and closing code for the feature to work. Use the Preview button to see if you did it right.

2. How to quote someone

To have it simply say "Quote":

1. Click the Quote button.
2. Paste the quote.
3. Click Quote again. Your text will look like this in the form:

{quote}This is the quote.{/quote}

Click Preview and it should look like this:

Quote:
This is the quote.

To replace "Quote" with the quotee's name:

1. Click the Quote button.
2. Type an equal sign and the quotee's name inside quotation marks (see below), all inside the Quote code brackets.
3. Paste the quote.
4. Click Quote again. Your text will look like this in the form:

{quote="ViewsAskew"}This is the quote.{/quote}

Click Preview and it should look like this:

ViewsAskew wrote:
This is the quote.

There's also an automated way to do this. While you're looking at the message you want to respond to, click the Quote button on the message you want to quote. This will automatically open up a new reply window with the entire text of the message you're replying to inside quotes which specify the quotee's name. Then you can edit down the quoted part of the message (please edit down to only what's necessary!) and add your response after the ending coding.

3. How to link to another web page

The easiest way to make a link is to type or cut and paste a complete URL including the http:// prefix, for example: http://www.rlshelp.org/and remember not to put any punctuation at the end of it (unless you add at least one space). The software will automatically make it a link so that when someone clicks on it, it will take them to that page.

Sometimes, however, these URLs are very long. You can make the link much shorter by coding it to show some text instead of the long URL. To make a link that shows text instead of the URL:

1. Click URL. The code will appear like this {url}
2. Immediately before the ending bracket, type an equal sign and copy and paste or type the page's URL that you want to create a link to. {url=http:/nameofsite}
3. Type your text you want to appear instead of the link immediately outside the ending bracket {url=http:/nameofsite}My Words
4. Click URL again. {url=http:/nameofsite}My Words{/url}

Here is an example of a link to a PLM site and how it would look if you were coding it to become a link only showing the words "article on PLMD":

{url=http://www.chestnet.org/education/online/pccu/vol18/lessons07_08/print4.php}Article on PLMD{/url}

Please check your links to make sure they work before you leave your post for others to read; use the Edit button to correct any that don't work.

Alternately, if you don't want to use the buttons, simply copy and paste or type the URL. In front of it, manually type the code: {url= At the end of the URL, but a closing bracket } Then, type the words you want to replace the URL and then close the code by manually typing it {/url}

4. How to link to an image

This discussion board does not host images. You need to find your own server space (often provided as part of your internet connection; there are also services like Shutterfly). Then upload your image to that space. The image will have a URL something like this, depending on your provider:

1. Click the Img button.
2. Type or paste in your image's url
3. Click Img again (an asterisk will be visible in the button at this time) to close the link:

{img}http://www.internetprovider.com/~joeuser/hamburger.jpg{/img}

Use Preview to see if your image is appearing.

Please size your images no wider than 600 pixels. Otherwise, they will force the entire thread and all text to their width, making it very hard to read for some users. If you don't know how to resize your photos, see if you have a photo program like iPhoto, Photoshop Elements, etc. which lets you manipulate images. They often come with scanners, digital cameras, etc.

Remember, curly brackets were used in this demonstration for illustrative purposes. You mustuse the straight brackets to make your coding work.[/url]